1995 Beringer Vineyards Merlot Bancroft Ranch - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (2/26/2023)
From my late father’s cellar, and shared with my mom who considered the 1992 of this bottling to be her “epiphany” wine. While a little short on fruit, this was not short on savory, overall flavor and polish. Just a gorgeous presentation, and deep, long sustain that carried earth, soy and saline - a total umami bomb. Properly cellared since release, so I suspect reports of bottles with ample fruit are just the even luckier side of the draw. That said, mom and I finished this off in short order.
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I saw this pop up in CT as I have a bottle in the cellar. The fruit that I’ve found ahs been the cocoa dusted chocolate cherry sort, but there are a lot of savory notes. Your mom is spot on, the 1992 Bancroft Merlot was a special wine and the reason I pick up early 1990s versions of this wine when I spot them.
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your mom and I agree! Great wine.
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Yeah, the more recent versions have not been nearly as good. Having said that, just had a 2016 a couple weeks ago and that is starting to show pretty darned nicely.
Climate change has altered the wine, as it has so many. There’s about 15 vintages of this bottling in my dad’s cellar, so I will get to follow along for a while.
Had a dead bottle of ‘97 from winebid last year but I expect that was storage as much as anything.
The 90’s seem to be peak greatness for Berlinger PR & these single vineyard wines.
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Opened a 1997 Beringer PR Cab tonight that was just flat out gorgeous with beef short ribs.
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I have 2 bottles and a mag of the 1991.
This has been a special wine.
Wish I still had more of the 2001 and 2007.
The 2016s don’t seem to be cut from the same cloth but going to give them some time.
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